St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-06
A Minneapolis Syndicate Which Sees
Millions of Money in the Near
Future
And Claims the Potter Process Will ReVo-
lutionize the Smelling of Pre-
cious Ores.
What Concentration Has Done Here
tofore-- Descriptions of the New
and Old Processes,
Cost of Smelling and Handling Lead
and Base Bullion-- New Com
pany Organized.

tive to the formation OF a syndicate 10 pur-
chase and operate the new Potter process OF
smelling and refining the precious ores. was
widely read and circulated, and has created
a great furry through the mining camps
and companies of Montana especially, as
indicated by letters and kilograms from
there The Potter process, it is believed,
will work the same revolution in smelling
refractory and dry ores that the concentra-
ton process has wrought in low grade lead
ores. The thousands of mine owners i'll
the country have been on the Qui vive since
the introduction Qof concentration, three
years ago. for new inventions bearing on
smelling, but the Potter process was kept
quite a secret until recently. About three
months ago Charles E. Baldwin, of this
city, learned of the invention, but had not
located the inventor. He communicated
his information to w. D. Pinkston, of
ShoShone, Idaho. and the latter,
from the meager information Bald
win was able to impart. was at
once satisfied the new invention meant
revolution. Ten days ago they learned that
a Montana mining party was IN the city
Ell route to Chicago to see James a. Potter,
the inventor: this located the inventor. and
Baldwin and PmkSton took the flrst train
to Chicago about six hours ahead OF the
Montana party. They found Potter as
master mechanic of the Union steel works,
and a young man of under 80 years or age.
That evening they were closeted at the
Palmer house. and before morning a bond
was signed and delivered and the invention
secured. The next morning along came
1he Montana party, only to learn the prize
had eiuded their grasp.
THE CONTRACT
carries on its farce the value of the discov-
ery. Potter agreed to turn over MS patent
TO Baldwin and Pinkston on the follow
ing conditions: Within four months they
are to organize a company with capital
stock of $500, 600. one-fourth paid up. The
first plant is to be begun within that pc
Rod, under the superintendent Of Potter
who is to have One-fOurth interest i'll this
parent company. When the smelling es-
Establishment is in successful operation and
is reducing dry or refractory ore at cost
not to exceed SO per ton, Potter is to get
$1,000 cash, within ninety days, and for ev-
cry subsequent furnace placed in successful
operation, in the same way, he is to receive
$40. 900 cash. When Baldwin and PinkstOn
returned to Minneapolis they found L. G.
Merrill, of Helena, Mont, who is an as
saver of reputation, large mine owner
and is deputy surveyor general of Montana
He had heard of the process and was anX-
ious to enter tn" new company. During last
week the Potter Mining, Smelling and Re-
filming company of Minneapolis was organ-
lied, with the following officers:
President-T G. Merrill, OF Helena, Mont.
Vice President-W. D. Pinkston, Shoshone,
Idaho.
Secretary-Chares E. Baldwin, Minneap-
oils.
Treasurer-John West, Minneapolis.
Many of the heavy capitalists Of Mime
apoliS and of Montana are anxious to buy
stock in the company. but as yet none has
been put Oh the market and probably will
not be until the location of the plant has
been decided upon, for which purpose one
of the officials is now prospecting through
Montana.
THE POTTER PROCESS
is expected, as stated. to work the same
revolution in dry and refractory ores that
concentration has wrought in low grade
lead ores The best illustration of what
this revolution was is found in the state
ment that the Alta company. Of Helena,
which sunk $500 900 before the process of
concentration was introduced, has since de-
clared monthly dividends of $50, 1000. Until
concentration was introduced low grade
ores could not be worked at a profit. Con-
centration, briefly described, is as follows:
The ore is first ground and then crushed as
tne as possible; the product is run over a
''iig-tabIe," or sort of Selve, where the
specific gravity of the metallic portion of
the ore separates it from the quartz and
other waste material This process is re-
peated until the separation is carried as far
as possible, resulting in collecting into one
ton the metal contained in five tons of ore
In this way the cost of smelling a ton of
concentrated ore is less than one-fifth of
the cost OF smelling a ton of native ORE
This process has been in use only three
wears. and has revolutioniZed the smelling
industry.
NEARLY ONE HALF
of all the precious ores in the world, owing
to their refractory nature cannot now be
worked to profit. Refractory ore is ore
containing base metals in such quantity and
with none or so little lead as to render mill
ing difficult. Dry ores are those which
contain little or no lead. A majority of all
gold and silver mines produce dry or refrac.
tory ores, which can be treated only at a
heavy expense by the old process, but which
present no difficulties to the Potter process.
Ores are rendered difficult and expensive to
work under all processes where they con-
tain sulphuret eff iron or copper or iron in
sufficient quantities to prevent their being
milled, or where they contain considerable
manganese, zinc, arsenic or tale. Probably
the most important advantage of the new
process is found in Its simple and economic
treatment of concentrates of iron and COP
per pyrites, which are found so extensively
III all mining camps. The value Of the Pot
ter process is two fold: First in saving the
expense of freight on base bullion and in
getting lead; second, the large saving in Sc
curing the additional percentage of the pre-
cious metal locked up in the ores. If. for
instance. ore should assay 500 to the ton,
not more than 70 per cent.is saved in smelt-
ing by the old process; while for the Potter
process is claimed a saving of at least 90 per
cent.
THE OLD PROCESS
is doubtless quite familiar to GLOBE read
ers interested in the interesting subject
The ore is charged into the furnace stack
with the flux usually lIme) and large
quantity of lead. When fusion occurs the
lead. which has great affinity for precious
metals, seizes upon them as they are re-
leased from the ore and carries them to the
bottom of the furnace floating the Stag,
gangue and base metals on the surface
The refuse is drawn off above, and the lead.
charged with gold and silver, is run off
below in base bullion. This base bullion is
shipped East for separation by the zinc pro-
cess, and ton of the base bullion contains
from S125 to $500 of precious metals. The
cost of the old process consists of the freight
on and the cost of the large quantities of
lead. and the freight on the base bullion
sent off for separation. On the other hand
the Potter process, as claimed largely saves
these freight charges as we'll as the cost of
the lead. 1t involves no new and untried
principle, but is simply new application
of the old established principle familiar to
all miners and smelters. Briefly summar-